WSPC12525

• File Number: 8282.400
• Description: Colorado River Operations and Accounting - Deliveries to Mexico
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/11/2001
• Author: Unknown
• Title: Colorado River Delta Symposium - United States-Mexico - Mexicali-Baja California - Symposium Report - Reviewed Copy with Staff Notes- 09-11-01
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

COLORADO
RIVER DELTA
BI-NATIONAL
SYMPOSIUM
PROCEEDINGS

ENGLISH
16

Up until now, there has been a feeling that
this has been an issue primarily of interest in the
United States. Ironically, we have to admit that
this is an issue that was not been pursued on the
Mexican side with the same intensity as com-
pared to the United States, thanks mostly to the
genuine interest of a significant number of
scientists and non-governmental organizations
on the American side. This has started to turn
around. In Mexico there is a growing interest in
assuming our fundamental responsibility over
what is an essentially Mexican ecosystem and,
fortunately, it is happening at the same time in
the governmental and non-governmental
sectors. The Mexican Government wants to
move on~ a new phase, leaving the ac~mic
phase se of studies and discussio;s, and
advance to the action phase. is is why this
or-
symposium is the fitting culmination of a phase
of intense studies and investigations that will be
laid out on the table of this meeting and from
which we expect - and invite the participants to
do the same - that specific practical proposals
will be realized and become part of the negotia-
tions that should start taking place very soon
between both countries, Le., the table of specific
proposals, based on the best science and the best
understanding of the requirements, not only
scientific and technical, but also of the real
possibilities to redirect the destiny of the Lower
Basin toward a better future for the Colorado
River Delta. This symposium must signal the
conclusion of the discussion and study and
research phase, and the start of the launching of
actions on the part of the Governments.
As you well know, the new Government of
Mexico approached the Government of the
United States during January of this year with
an important diplomatic note, stating its concern
with regard to a series of matters related to the
Colorado River, with the subject of the Delta as
part of that diplomatic note. In said diplomatic
note, we have already stated our concern with
regard to some actions in the United States that
could have consequences for the Colorado River
Delta, which none of us wants. By means of this

diplomatic note, we invited the Government of
the United States to start diplomatic talks
concerning each of the issues that make up the
bilateral agenda of the Colorado River, Every-
thing that you come up with as a result of this
symposium will undoubtedly have a direct
impact on this negotiation, because you collec-
tively represent a series of research efforts that
were undertaken during the last decades and
from which we should now extract practical
consequences. In a Basin of this type, d~of
the agreed upon volumes of water does not
exhaust our bllateral obligations. We have to
enrich the legal framework of our cooperation to
begin joining efforts and facing the challenges
that now being identified, many of which are
related to sustainability, which is the subject of
the Colorado River.
This is the great responsibility of this sympo-
sium. I am sure that you will make a substantial
contribution that will allow both governments to
meet very soon and take immediate and practi-
cal measures. These are my fervent desires for all
of you. Thank you very much.

DENNIS LINSKY
STATE DEPARTMENT, UNITED STATES
(VERBATIM):
Thank you for that very nice introduction.
Members of the legal and institutional panel,
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I'm
struck by what a difference a week may make.
The mood in Washington, as you can imagine
right now, I'm sure is very somber. But last week
it was one of the most jubilant periods I saw in
Washington for a long time. Especially some-
thing that involved a foreign policy event. I
think last week's visit by President Fox was a
great success. I think it has established a new
climate for U.S.-Mexican relations.
President Bush, several times, expressed the
fact that Mexico is our most important bi-Iateral
issue. Now, we may have problems. We'll have
disagreements, and we discussed honestly and
openly, as friends, some of those issues in the
meetings of last week. I think the tragic events